What is the typical undergraduate
course load at Lesley?

The prescribed four-year course load at the
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is five to six courses per semester
(15–18 credits). Some students will take only four courses per semester,
especially during the first year. However, to meet the minimum academic
requirements of 120 credits, a student must average 30 credits per year.
Courses taken during the summer or January term can help to contribute to this
total.

Full-time students may register for up to 18
credits per semester. Those students who receive permission to carry a
course overload will be charged per credit hour for all course credits over the
normal course load of 18 credits per semester.

In order to be considered
full-time, a student must be enrolled in at least 12 credits per
semester. Part-time students must be enrolled in at least 9 credits
per semester.

Can College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences students take courses in the College of Art and
Design (CAD) or in the Graduate Schools?

College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences undergraduates may enroll in CAD courses and certain graduate courses
if they have fulfilled the appropriate prerequisites. Some courses (such a
certain graduate counseling courses, or upper level photography courses) may be
limited to program participants.

Can students receive academic credit for AP exams? What about college courses
taken during high school?

Yes, students can receive academic credit for
an AP exam on which they scored a 3 or higher on studio art exams and 4 or
higher on all other AP exams. In order to process these credits, the student
should bring an official score report to the Academic Advising Center if the
scores were not sent with the original admissions materials. If a student is
unsure of whether or not he or she has received credit for an AP, the student
can check his/her transcript on MyLesley or schedule a meeting with his/her
academic advisor.

Some high schools have partnerships with local
colleges or universities and offer college-level classes to high school
students. Students may be able to receive Lesley credit for these courses,
provided that they received a grade of "C" or higher. Please see the Advising
Center for more information. Students need a course description and an official
transcript from the college or university in order to receive Lesley course
credit.

What is the honors program?

Students entering the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who meet the
appropriate requirements are invited to enroll in the First-Year Honors
Program. Entrance to the program is based primarily on a student's high school
record. The First-Year Honors program includes a set of linked liberal arts
courses taken in the first semester.

The Self-Designed Honors Program,
open to current Lesley students with a high GPA who exemplify the values of
Lesley, includes self-designed honors-level experiences incorporated into
existing courses, independent studies, and seminars on topics of interest
identified by honors program students. Information about the First-Year Honors
Program and the Self-Designed Honors Program may be obtained from the
Director of the Honors Program, Michael Illuzi, at
617.349.8257 or milluzzi@lesley.edu.

What should a student do if she/he
is having difficulty connecting with a professor?

Professors usually
list their preferred method of contact on course syllabi. Students should first
try to email the instructor at the address provided and/or call her/him at the
number on the syllabus. Please note that not all faculty are on campus every
day, so allow a few days for a professor to respond.

Students should
also visit the professor's scheduled office hours if possible. If it is a
time-sensitive issue and the student cannot get a hold of a professor, the
student should contact his/her Advisor or a member of the Academic Advising
Center staff.

During the first two weeks of the
semester, first semester freshmen may add or drop courses with an advisor's
approval, as long as they remain enrolled in enough credits to maintain
full-time status. Second semester freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors
may add or drop courses on their own on LOIS
but are highly encouraged to consult with their advisors before adding or
dropping a course to ensure timely graduation. Course changes made during the
Add/Drop period will not be reflected on the student's transcript. If students
are planning on adding a course, they should do so as soon as possible to avoid
falling behind in coursework. Students may not add a course after the Add/Drop
deadline.

After the Add/Drop deadline, students may see their advisors
to withdraw from a course with a grade of a "W." If a student feels that she/he
is in danger of failing a course, it is better to withdraw than to receive a
failing grade. A withdrawal will be reflected on the student's transcript as a
"W" grade and the student will not receive credit for the course. However,
withdrawing from a course will not impact a student's full-time status, as the
"W" grade acts as a placeholder on the transcript. For example, if a student
enrolled in 12 credits decides to withdraw from a course, the student is still
considered full-time.

After the Withdrawal deadline, which typically
falls about five weeks before the end of the semester, students will receive a
letter grade for the course, even if they stop attending. Please refer to the
Academic Calendar
for Add/Drop and Withdrawal deadlines for each semester.

Can a student retake a course that she/he
failed?

Yes, students can retake a course if it is offered again. When
a student retakes a course, the new grade will replace the failing grade in the
student's GPA. The original grade will still remain on the transcript, but
successfully retaking the course shows an effort on the student's part to
improve.

What is a
mid-semester evaluation?

Mid-semester evaluations offer a valuable
opportunity for faculty to provide feedback regarding individual student
performance in their courses. Faculty use the Mid-semester Evaluation to call
attention to a student who is having academic difficulty so that the student
can take steps to improve. Faculty may also use the forms to encourage a
student who has been working hard in a class, or to praise a student who has
shown exceptional progress in a course. If a student receives a mid-semester
evaluation, it is important that she or he contact the faculty and her/his
advisor to establish a plan for the remainder of the semester.

What grade point average (GPA) does a student need to be in good academic
standing?

In order to remain in good academic standing,
students must earn a GPA of 2.0 or above. See the Academic
Catalogue for specific details regarding Academic Alert and Academic Probation.
Please note that some scholarships may require a minimum GPA in order to retain
funding.

What is January mini-semester? Can any student take a course offered during
the January term? Is the tuition covered in the academic year's tuition?

Courses taken during the January term are considered part of the Spring
semester and are open to all College of Liberal Arts and Sciences students who
have completed the appropriate prerequisites. The credits for these courses go
towards the total maximum allotment of 18 credits per semester. If a student is
enrolled full-time for the Spring semester and does not exceed a total of 18
credits for the Spring, then there is no additional charge to take a January
term course. Students needing housing accommodations should contact Residence
Life.

What should a student do if she/he would like to take a course at a university
other than Lesley?

Students who plan to take courses at other
institutions must come to the Academic Advising Center to fill out a Transfer
of Credit Approval form before enrolling in the course. If the course is being
taken to fulfill a requirement within the major, students should bring this
form and a copy of the course description to the Division Director for
approval. If the course is being taken to fulfill a general education
requirement, the student should bring the course description to Diep Luu, Director of Academic Advising, for approval.

Courses must be taken at an accredited college or university, and the
student must receive a grade of "C" or higher in order for the credits to
transfer in to Lesley. Upon completion of the course, students must send or
bring an official transcript from the institution where the course was taken to
the Academic Advising Center.

What should a student do if she/he plans to transfer or withdraw from
Lesley?

Students planning to withdraw from the University should make
an appointment with the Director of Academic Advising, Diep Luu. They also will need to complete a Change of Status Form,
which can be found in the Academic Advising Center. Students should be sure to
check in with the Library, Residence Life, Student Accounts, and Financial Aid
to avoid unnecessary charges.

What is a
Leave of Absence?

Occasionally it is determined that a student needs to
take a semester or two away from the university due to personal, family, or
health issues. Students should only take a Leave of Absence if they intend to
return to the University to complete an academic program. Please see the
Academic Catalogue for more details regarding the circumstances of a Leave of
Absence.

To request a Leave of Absence from the University, students
should make an appointment with the Director of Academic Advising, Diep Luu. They also will need to complete a Change of
Status Form, which can be found in the Academic Advising Center. Please note
that students may not matriculate at another institution while on a Leave of
Absence from Lesley University.